Drying machine



Aug, 12'. 1924. 1,504,731

" H. H-. WIGGLESWORTH ET AL DRYING MACHINE Filed April 10, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VE N TORS: Harry H. Wiggleaziwih H 0101 0.166111mazm,

WW BY 7 ATTORNEYS.

'12 1924. 1,504131 4 H. H. WIGGLESWORTH ET AL DRYING MACHINE 5Sheets-Sheet 2 H I l w: u r H .E

H. H. WIGGLESWORTH ET AL DRYING MACHINE Filed April 10, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 5 MmUNLN v INVENTORS:

Harry H Wzyyieawarfiz Harald wan, BY.

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

Aug, 12 WZQ. 1,504,733

'H. H. WIGGLESWORTH ET AL DRYING MACHINE Filed April 10 19225Sheets-Sheet I FZG- K Z5 g3 WITNESSES: 92 m INVENTORS:

@0 Z Z0 fiarr fimg wwariu Au 12 19m. I amwm H. H. WEGGLESWORTH ET AL 4DRYING MACHINE Filed April 10 1922 5 sheets-sheet 5 FIG.

ITNESSES: INVENTORS:

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. rold fllfiau man/n ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,504,731 PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. WIGGLFSWORTH AND HAROLD O. KAUFMANN, OF PHILADELPHIAPENN-SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE PHILADELPHIA DRYING MACHINERY COMPANY,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRYING unc'nmn.

Application filed April 10, 1922. Serial No. 550,956.

'1 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY H. WIGGLES- WORTH and HAROLD O. KAUFMANN,citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Dryin Machines, of which the following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates generally to drying machines, and more especiallyto machines of a type useful in drying textile manufactures capable ofbeing stretched upon thin, flat shaping forms, such, for example, ashosiery and the like.

Among the objects of our invention are to secure, in machines of theclass specified, greater structural compactness with conse- I quentsaving of space necessary for their accommodation; higher efficiency inoperation than heretofore attainable; and to effect greater economy incost of operation through minimization of manual labor incidental tosuch operation.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become readily apparent fromthe detailed description of a typical embodiment of our invention whichfollows.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. I is a perspective view of a dryingmachine conveniently embodying our invention, with one side panelremoved to disclose the interior.

Fig. II is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. III is a view of the machine in top plan. Fig. IV is anillustration, in plan, of a specially designed sprocket chain forming apart of the conveyor whereby the articles to be dried are carriedthrough the machine, portions of the Ctain being shown in section at twodifferent planes so that its construction may be more readilyunderstood.

- Figs. V and VI are perspective views of the two main or side memberswhich conthe line VIII- I of the discharging end of the drying conveyorillustrating a preferred .form of drying board dislodging means.

ig. X is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the parts shown in theimmediately preceding figure.

XI is a view of the machine in lon- Fi giturIinal section on a planeextending through the drying chamber.

Fig. XII is a. fragmentary view in iongitudinal section 'of a series ofboard returlning conveyors, showing the receiving en s.

Fig. XIII is a view in longitudinal section of the discharge end ofone'of the board returning conveyors.

Fig. XIV is a detail view in section taken on the line XIV--XIV of Fig.X.

Fig. XV is a-detail view in transverse section of the drying conveyorapron illustrating a modified formv of air current deflector; and

Fig. XVI is a fragmentary view in plan of a portion of the dryingconveyor illustrating a modified form of rying board (118- lod ingmeans.

he structure herein represented as typical of our invention, comprises afireproof enclosure 1 consisting of a skeleton frame 2 preferably ofstructural steel and a number of enclosing panels 3--3- removably hungto said frame. shown inFigs. I and VIII, is subd vided, by means of alongitudinally extending artition 5,-into a drying chamber 6 and aheating chamber 7. The latter of these chambers serves to accommodatesuitable heating means herein shown as a bank ef steam coils 8 forheating the air as it is circulated throu h the enclosure in a manner tobe presently escrioed. The machine has a peaked roof portion 10'which 1Sarched across boththe heatin -chamber and the greater portion of therying chamber and also subdivided by the longitudinal part1- tion 5previously mentioned. At a point The enclosure 1, as clearly through abelt'connection (not shown with any suitable source of power. Re erringagain to Fig. VIII, it will be noted that the lower edge of thepartition 5 terminates short of the floor of the enclosure so as toafford a passage along the entire length of the structure, forcommunication of the drying chamber 6 and the heating chamber 7. Thus,under the pro ulsion of the fan 12, the air is circulated laterally ofthe enclosure as indicated by the arrows in Fig. VIII in a directiondownward through the drying chamber 6, thence through the space beneaththe partition 5 and upward through the heating chamber. If desired, orin case it should be required in the treatment of certain materials, therotation of the fan may obviously be reversed to circulate the air in adirection opposite to that indicated.

The drying chamber 6 is traversed longitudinally by a conveyor 19 whichcomprises a sprocket chain 20 and a series of parallelly extending bands21, 22, 23, 24,

moving synchronously with the chain and spaced at various lateraldistances therefrom. Said bands are preferably attached to an endlessforaminous apron which extends to the exterior through suitable openingsin opposite ends of the enclosure and is supported upon drums 26, 27whose shafts 28-28 are journalledfor rotation in bearings 29, 29 one ofwhich is movable to permit tightening of the chain and secured toextended portions of the skeleton. frame 2. The sprockets 30, 30 uponwhich the chain 29 runs, are secured to the shafts 28, 28 adjacent oneend of the drums 26, 27 as clearly shown in Figs. I and III. The shaft28 ofv the drum 27 at the discharge end of the machine (at the right ofFig. I) is positively driven by means of gearing concealed withm acasing 31 and coordinated through a shaft 32 with similar gearingconcealed in a casing 33, the latter gearing being in turn actuated by ashaft 34 carrying a pulley 35. The edges of the apron 25 along the upperstretch are preferabl run in grooves provided in supporting edges 36which in turn are supported upon the walls of the machine, as shown inFig. XV.

- As previously stated herein, the machine of our invention isespecially adapted for drying articles. such for example as stockmgs,and the like, capable of bein stretched upon thin, flat, shaping forms.order to ect economy of. the space required for a machine of thischaracter, the forms are, in the present instance, carried through thedrying chamber while supported on edge in uniformly spaced relation andin horizontal position transversely of the conveyor. In order that thismay be accomplished, the companion side members 37, 38 which constitutethe links of the sprocket. chain 20, (see Figs. V and .VI) are formedwith spaced upstanding projections 39, 39. These side members, asclearly shown, are made as rights and lefts and have, at one end,complementary, inwardly projecting trunnions 40, 40 which, whenassembled in the chain, abut along the center line of the latter, (seeFig, IV) and jointly serve to support antifriction rollers such as shownin perspective at 41 in Fig. VII. The trunnions 40, 40 are axially boredas at 42 for reception of ins 43 which are headed as best seen in ig. IVto hold the parts of the chain links together. The lugs 4i from whichthe trunnions 40, 10 extend are offset somewhat from the general planeof the link members 37, 38 so as to accommodate the ears 45, 45 ofadjacent links. Ily this arrangement, a continuous double row ofprojections 39 is afforded along one edge of the conveyor. The alignedpairs of adjacent projections of the respective rows are cooperative inengaging between them ends of the flat forms preferably those whichprotrude beyond the stocking tops, so that the fabric may not beinjured, see Fig. VIII, and thus not only sustain the forms on theiredges, but hold them separated and against displacement in horizontalposition laterally or transversely of the conveyor. The bands 21, 22,23, 24 are so spaced upon the foraminous apron 25 with relation to thechain 20 as to be at the proper distances t support, with minimumcontact, either the heel or'toe ends of the foot portion (preferably thelatter as herein shown) of forms of various sizes. In practice the saidbands are preferably-made of a suitable soft absorbent material such asfelt so as to preclude possible injury to the stocking fabric at thepoint of contact, and to be capable of absorbing moisture impartedthereto by virtue of such contact. Thus with a machine of our inventionit will be seen that stockings of various sizes can be dried at one timewithout regard to order or sequence,

,thereby greatly enhancing the eiliciency of the machine in thisrespect.

In its traverse through the machine, the conveyor is guided between siderails 50, 50 secured'to the skeleton frame 2 and the upper stretch ofthe apron 25- ma be sustained against saggingunder loa by suitable meanssuch for example as the su rting ledges 36 mentioned above. T e' ing ofthe air resultin from the arrangement of the forms on t e conveyor alsoassists materially in reducing the time of drying to a minimum.

The conveyor is loaded at the right hand end oft-he machine asconsideredin Fig. III, by a number of operators who are stationed along theconveyor. Adjacent this end of the machine a number of tables 55 areprovided upon which forms may be supported in an upright position whilethe stockings are stretched thereon by the perative preparatory to beingplaced on the conveyor. After being properly mounted on the conveyor andengaged for support on edge by the upstanding projections 39, 39 of thesprocket chain 20, the charged forms are progressed at a comparativelyslow but uniform rate'of speed through the drying chamber 6 andthoroughly sub'ected to the circulating air as already note In order toelfect'automatic removal of the forms from engagement between thesustaining projections 39 of the s rocket chain after the completion ofthe rying operation, We have provided, at the discharge end of themachine, (see Figs. IX and X) and adjacent said chain, a stationaryinclined cam which engages the extremities of the forms from beneath andgradually lifts them from between said projections. This actionisclearly illustrated'in Fig. X. As the forms are thus raised, they areinter- I cepted by a stationary stop 61 which engages them near theirupper edges and tilts them rearwardly so as to "fall fiat with thestocking toes pointing forwardly. As a consequence the forms aredischarged, b further movementof the conveyor, in a de nite preorderedposition upon a receiving table 59 where another operative removes thedried stockings.

The forms are now to be returned to the operators at the loading end ofthe machine for reuse. This transferal is accomplished by means of aplurality of conveyors 62, 63 and 64, arranged parallel insuperposed-relation at the side of the machine at which the loadingoperators are stationed. The uppermost conveyor is the shortest and thelowermost the longest, the other conveyor being of an intermediatelength so that the loading ends of these conveyors may be disposed instep relation adjacent the discharging end of the drying conveyor asshown in Fig. XII. The discharging ends of said form conveyors arerelatively spaced horizontally to a greater extent so that each conveyormay discharge upon its corresponding platform of a series of threeindicated at 65. To facilitate entry of the forms u on and between theseconveyors, the loa ing end of each is shrouded by means of a sheet metalshield 66; and the discharge of the forms from the conveyors to theplatforms 65 is ensured by providing a roller 67, one at the dischargeend of each conveyor, and driven from its respective conveyor in thesame direction but at a higher rate of speed,

preferably through the medium of a belt prefera 1y. belt driven from.the above mentioned shaft 34 through the medium of a pulley carried bythe latter. The intermediate portions of the form conveyors are runthrough a housing 76, shown Y in Fig. VIII, which receives heat'byradiation from the heating element 8 so that the forms are dried andwarmed prior to the stretching of the wet hosiery thereon. The conveyorapron 25 may be retained under proper ten sion by the provision of atightening or slack absorbing arrangement as shown in Fig. XI andconsisting of a roller 77 beneath which the lower stretch of the aprontravels in contact therewith, said roller 77 being supported at one orboth ends by means of one or two arms 78, as the case may be, the rollerbeing shiftable to place the apron under tension by virtue of set screws79 engaging said arm or arms. The loading extremity of the dryingconveyor may be enclosed, if desired, within a suitable housing 80.

To ensure the travel of the air current in the manner described againstthe possibility of its diversion owing to the movement of the formsthrough the entering and leaving end of the chamber we may provide ateach of said ends a vestibule in the form of housings 81, theportals ofwhich are closed by means of portleres of hanging felt strips, or thelike, 82 which are parted and moved aside b the forms when the latterenter and leave t e said vestibules.

When half hose or childrens stockin s are to be dried shorter forms areused whic do notextend from edge to edge of the drying conveyor;Consequently there is a tendency for the air current to pass through theapron beyond the toe ends of the forms instead of between the forms, asthe air current should be directed, and as a result the removalofmoisture from the hosiery is not complete or accomplished as quickly asit should be. This contingency is avoided by a means shown in Fig. VIIIand which consists of a plurality of depending slats 83 which are hingedfrom-any suitable stationary support and located beneath the upperstretch of the apron at a point adjacent the outer edge.

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A rod 84 is slidably mounted above the slats and'isprovided at suitablyspaced intervals with lugs 85 which are designed to engage pins 86 ofwhich each slat is provided with one. A spring 87 is provided to urgethe rod toward a non-operative position, while a flexible connection 88to the rod runs over a pulley and is connected to a lever 89 cooperatingwith a segment and locking arrangement. By rocking the lever the lugs 85will successively engage the pins 86 of the slats 83 in the order of theoutermost slat first, moving said slats successively upward against theapron to form a battle and thereby ensure the passage of the air currentbetween the hosiery forms. One or more of the slats may thus be raisedaccording to the length of the hosiery forms used.

The bafiiing of the air current for short forms may also be accomplishedin the manner shown in Fig. XV wherein 90 indicates a plurality ofleaves, hingedly connected in edge to edge relation, an end leaf beinghinged to the outermost rail 37, so that the arrangement may be unfoldedto dispose one or more leaf sections above the apron, thus forming abafile. The entire arrangement may be folded back when not in use asshown in dotted lines. To support the upper stretch of the main conveyorapron 19 a plurality of longitudinal slats 91 are arranged therebeneathand preferably directly below and in contiguous relation to the bands21-24. The lower stretch of the form carrying chain 20 is prevented fromsagging unduly by providing a plate 92 mounted edgewise and upon whichthe chain runs, the fingers 39 being carried, one series at each sidethereof. r

A slightly modified arrangement for dislodging the forms at thedischarging end of the drying conveyor is shown in Fig. XVI wherein astationary cam plate/93 is arranged in a horizontal position to beengaged by the ends of the forms so as to shift said forms transverselyand horizontally from between the holding fingers 39. After suchdisengagement. the forms may: be knocked over, all in thesame directionby engagement against the stop member 61 described above.

It will be seen that the operating intervals of theseveral elements ofthe machine are so coordinated that no waste of time ensues by oneoperator waiting upon another tocatch up in work. Thus. since itrequires three times as long to apply a piece of hosiery to a form as itdoes to remove the piece we have provided facilities for three loadingoperators who are required to keep the eon veyor filled to capacity,which may be unloaded by one operator.

Other advantages will readily occur to "*those familianwith the art towhich this in- I vention appertains.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; a traversing conveyorfor supporting, on edge, a series of at forms with the articles beingdried stretched thereon; and means for engaging the forms from beneathto elioct their discharge in a definite flat po sition from the machineafter the conveyor has completed its circuit therethreugh.

2. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; a'traversing conveyorfor supporting, transversely thereof and on edge, flat forms with thearticles being dried stretched thereon; and means for engaging the formsfrom beneath and ordering discharge of said forms from the machine in adefinite flat position after the conveyor has completed its circuittherethrough.

'3. A drying machine comprising a drying r chamber; a traversingconveyor having a series of spaced, upstanding projections capable ofsustaining, on edge between them, flat forms with the articles beingdried stretched thereon; and elevating means whereby the forms areautomatically disengaged from between the projections of the conveyorfor discharge from the machine when the conveyor has completed itscircuit therethrough.

4. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; a traversing conveyorhaving a series of spaced upstanding projections capable of sustaining,on edge between them, fiat forms with the articles being dried stretchedthereon; and a stationary incline cam for engaging the forms frombeneath to effect their release from between said projections fordischarge from the machine when the conveyor has completed its circuittherethrough.

5. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; a traversing conveyorhaving a series of spaced, upstanding projections capable of sustaining,on edge between them, fiat forms with the articles being dried ilU luu

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stretched thereon; means for engaging the tions after the conveyor hascompleted its circuit through the machine; and a coo erative stationarystop for-enga ing the onus near their top edges to tilt't em uniformlychamber; and a traversing conveyor with means for engaging flat formswith articles being dried stretched thereon at one end only to sustainthem on edge and in spaced relations for support in a horizontal .posi.

tion transversely of the conveyor. 8. A drying machine comprising adrying chamber; and a traversing conveyor having along one of its edgesa series of spaced, upstanding projections betwcen which flat forms withthe articles being dried stretched thereon are engaged at one end onlyand sustained on edge for support in a horizontal position transverselyof said conveyor.

9. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; a traversing conveyorfor supporting a series of flat forms with stockings or the likestretched thereon, said conveyor having along one of its longitudinaledges, a series of spaced upstanding projections adapted to engagebetween them. those ends of the forms which protrude beyond the stockingtops to sustain said forms on edge for support in a horizontal positiontransversely of the conveyor.

10. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; and a traversingconveyor having a double row of spaced, upstanding projections, alignedpairs of fingers of the respective rows servin to engage between them,flat forms with the articles being dried stretched thereon, for supporton edge and in a horizontal position transversely of the conveyor. 7

11. A drying machine including a drying chamber; and a traversingconveyor comprising a pair of spaced, synchronously movmg bands forsupporting opposite ends of flat forms with the articles being driedstretched thereon, one of said bands having means for sustainin theforms on edge.

12. A drying mac iine comprising a drying chamber; and a traversingconveying means including a series of spaced, syn.- chronously movingbands adapted for cooperation-in pairs in supporting opposite ends offiat forms of different len ths with the articles being dried stretchedt ereon.

13. A drying machine comprising a drying chamber; and a traversingconveying means for carrying transversely thereof a series of fiat formswith'the articles being vdried stretched thereon, said conveying I means1ncluding a chain with upstanding projections for sustaining andsupporting on ed e between them, one end of flat forms with t e articlesbeing dried stretched thereon; and a companion band running parallel to,and moving synchronously with the chain for supporting the opposite endsofthe forms. I p

14. A drying machine comprising a chamlength the entire operatin herwithin which a suitable drying medium is constantly circulated; aconveyor apron of foraminous material, capable of permitting readypassage of the drying medium therethrough, traversing said chamber; andmeans for sustaining fiat forms, with the articles being dried stretchedthereon onedge and in spaced relation for support in a horizontalposition on said conveyor apron.

15. A drying machine comprising a cham-' ber within which a suitabledrying medium is constantly circulated, a conveyor apron of foraminousmaterial, capable of permit.- ting ready passage of the drying mediumtherethrough, traversing the chamber,

means along one edge of the conveyor for engaging the ends of formsprotruding beyond the tops of stockings stretched thereon to sustainthem on edge during conveyance;

and a comparatively narrow longitudinally extending band of absorbentmaterial attached to the conveyor a ron at a distance from the edgeaforesaid or supporting th foot ends of said forms. a 16. A dryingmachine, comprising a drying chamber, a conveyor having a portion of itslength enclosed by the chamber, means to support hosiery forms on theconveyor,

whereby hosiery mounted thereon may be dried in passing through thechamber, and the hosiery subsequently stripped from the forms, and meansto convey the empty forms back to'the starting oint of the conveyor.

17. A drying machine, comprising a drying chamber, a conveyor havingaportion of its length enclosed by the chamber, means to support hoiseryforms on the conveyor, whereby the hosiery mounted thereon may be driedin passing through the chamber, and the hosiery subsequently strippedfrom the forms, means to convey the empty forms back to the startingpoint of the conveyor,

. and means to dry and warm said empty forms while travelling to thestarting point.

18. A drying machine, comprising a drying chamber, a conveyor having aportion of its length enclosed b said chamber, means to support hosieryorms on the conveyor, whereby the hosiery maybe stripped from the forms,and means to convey the empty forms, back to the starting point of theconveyor and to divide and deposit them at a series of stations wherebythey may be filled by an operator located at each station and theconveyor thereby readily kept filled to capacity.

19. A drying machine, comprisin a conveyor, a drying chamber through wich the conveyor passes, means to support hosiery forms on the conveyorso that when the latter is filled with hosiery forms of maximum surfaceof the conveyor will be covered t ereby, means to direct a current ofair through the conveyor and between the forms, and means to cover aportion of the conveyor when shorter forms are used so as to direct theair current between said short forms.

20. A drying machine, comprisin a conveyor, a drying chamber through wioh the conveyor passes, means to support hosiery forms on the conveyorso that when the latter is filled with forms of maximum length theentire operating surface of the conveyor will be filled, means to directa current of air through the conveyor and between the forms, a pluralityof means each designed to cover a portion of the conveyor when shorterforms are used, and means to move the units of said covering meanssuccessively to covering position to cause one, or several, or all ofsaid units to cover the conve or according to the length of forms used.

21. A drying machine, comprising a drying chamber, means to conveyhosiery forms set on edge through the chamber, a heating element in thechamber, and means to create a continuous air current passing betweenthe forms, to the heating element and again to the forms.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto signed our names at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this seventh day of April, 1922.

HARRY H. WIGGLESWORTH.

HAROLD O. KAUFMANN. Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL,

E. L. FULLERTON.

